My Favorite Things and Places in Europe
I’ve compiled a few of my favorite experiences, acknowledging that my list may not encompass everything. Europe provides numerous chances for real change, exploration, and enjoyment, so I’m confident your list will vary. I encourage you to share your favorites! Here are my top three European experiences.
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Top 3 European Experiences
My Favorite Wine, Romance, Kid-friendly, Festivals, and Girlfriend Trips
I love making lists. So when a friend asked me to make a list of my top 3 things I’ve done in Europe, I said sure, why not?? Trying to narrow down three years’ worth of traipsing from one city to another, across many borders, and loads of unforgettable experiences– planned and otherwise took a lot of work.
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Top 3 Wine Experiences
It’s challenging to narrow wine down to my Top 3 experiences, but I’ll try. The châteaux of the French Bordeaux region are undeniably beautiful. The excellent wine houses in Bordeaux are quickly becoming inaccessible to the average person due to their high price point. Most people know Germany, Italy, and Spain have great wine. And it’s relatively cheap and easy to drink. You don’t have to love wine (looking down my nose) to enjoy it. And if you go to these places, you will always find a seat at the bar and a smile behind the counter. The Mosul and Rhine river towns offer a wide assortment of white and red wines, but the Riesling is exceptional and reasonable by the bottle but a steal by the case.
Don’t stop at the French border, the Alsace region of France is worth a visit too. Try a super Tuscan in Montepulciano, Italy, or the sherry in Jerez, Spain. Europe offers many wine experiences of note; three of my favorites are as follows:
1. German Weinstrasse
2. Tuscan Wine Route
3. Spanish Rioja Wine Route
Top 3 Romantic Trips
You aren’t trying very hard if you can’t find a romantic corner in Europe. To narrow the list to only my top 3 is nearly impossible. From expansive vistas of lavender or sunflowers in Provence to quaint bistro tables an earshot away from the click-clack of cobblestone back streets of Paris to the cashmere-like warmth of the deep blue-green waters of the Aegean Sea, there’s something for everyone. Everyone will find something to love in every European village, town, or city on the continent. And the best thing about it… shhh… don’t tell anyone. You don’t have to make a production out of it. Romance is in the air. Stroll arm in arm, lay under a shady olive tree with a bottle of wine–or a box of wine if you prefer– and do nothing.
1. Santorini, Greece
2. Paris, France
3. Ireland
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Top 3 Child-Friendly Trips
If you don’t take your kids into consideration, your trip will most likely be unbearable. While gelato usually calms them down–temporarily– there are a few places they will find more than enough activities to participate in that will keep their imagination rebuilding ancient ruins, their tiny bodies fully engaged in vigorous play and your sanity left somewhat intact. Note** I never said anything about cheap!!
1. Rome, Italy
2. Euro Disney
3. The Alps–Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy
Top 3 European Girlfriend Trips
I love traveling with my kids and husband, but some of my absolute favorite trips were with my girlfriends. Cities like Rome and Paris can also double as great romantic getaways and places to hang out with your kids. Both offer a fantastic opportunity to bond with your besties over a cocktail, a table full of tapas, or a club full of metro-sexual hipsters. And that’s all I’ll say about that!!!
- The French, Italian & Spanish Riviera
- Barcelona
- Budapest, Vienna, and Slovakia
Top 3 Festive Experiences
Europe offers numerous festivals in Europe. And by all means, take the top 3, which are incredibly well-known and attending. Fasching in Cologne, Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart, hurling tomatoes at perfect strangers in La Tomatina in Bunol, Spain, or dodging more than 57,000 crates of rotten oranges in Ivrea, Italy. There are festivals to celebrate the white asparagus, religious figures, livestock, battle reenactments, etc… take your pick; choices are endless.
1. San Fermin, Pamplona Italy
2. Oktoberfest, Munich Germany
3. Carnivale, Venice Italy
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Comments
It is always interesting to add things to my travel wish list based on the “top” list of other travel bloggers. It might be hard for me to put just 3 on my European wine tasting list. But we have yet to visit Germany and I am sure we would add wines from that region too. You are right about there being lots of romantic spots in Europe. So many spots in Italy might be on my list! And the top thing on my festival list is Carnivale in Venice. One day!
I know right. I love to look at other people’s must-sees too. We all have so many different ideas about what really reflects the places we see.
These are all great top 3 choices if you get the opportunity to visit Europe. I love the variety of experiences.
Europe is so charming and elegant. The places are so many and varied I find it difficult to choose one over the other. I love them all, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Gondolas in Venice, from the Colosseum in Rome to the trains in Switzerland.
I agree, these kinds of list are limited to your personal experiences only. I’ve done all of the ones you listed and loved them all.